New ‘Moana’ Poster Hints at Moana’s Magical Powers

Walt Disney Animation Studios has released a new poster for Moana, ahead of the new trailer that’s expected to debut on Good Morning America this Thursday. It shows the titular Pacific Islander princess and her demigod friend Maui, along with animal companions Pua, Moana’s adorable pet pig, and Hei Hei, a rooster voiced by Alan Tudyk.

What’s interesting about this poster is that it not only showcases the main characters, but also gives us a hint about what makes Moana special. We know that she has some sort of magical connection to the ocean—not power over it, exactly, but what looks like the ability to communicate with it, as you can see in the international trailer. The water in the poster has left a dry spot in the middle of the ocean for Moana and her friends to stand in, which makes it look like maybe she and the ocean are buddies. And, for those animation geeks out there, you can tell that the animators on this project are more confident with water than Disney or Pixar have ever been before. The visuals of Moana alone are going to be absolutely stunning.

Disney

Here’s Moana’s synopsis:

In the ancient South Pacific world of Oceania, Moana, a born navigator, sets sail in search of a fabled island. During her incredible journey, she teams up with her hero, the legendary demi-god Maui, to traverse the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous sea creatures, breathtaking underworlds and ancient folklore.

Moana stars Dwayne Johnson as Maui and newcomer Auli’i Cravahlo as Moana, as well as Jemaine Clement as giant crab Tamatoa, Rachel House as Gramma Tala, Nicole Scherzinger as Moana’s mother Sina, and Hamilton’s Phillipa Soo. It’s directed by Ron Clements with a script by Taika Waititi, and will be in theaters November 23.